The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-03


When 10 stopped writing to her, she
gave him up. She's worked hard TO-
day. and good nights rest will bring
her round"
There seemed nothing moro to be
said, so he took light and proceeded
to make everything safe for the night,
but long after his good wife was asleep,
he lay awake thinking of the pale face
his daughter had lifted for the good
night kiss"
Elizabeth was not likely to get the
strength her mother thought from
nights rest. Until the first rays OF
morning lighted up the east she lay
thinking of the old days, and liv-
ing them over again. She could not
remember the time when she and viii
had not seemed to belong to each 9TH
er. When they were children he had
drawn her to and from school on his
sled, saved her the largest half OF his
apple or orange, and fought all her
battles with vigor worthy of an old
knight. When the years in their flight
made them no longer children, it was
always Will who, at the close of meet
ing or singing-school, drew her arm
through his with an air of proprietor
ship and started for the Allen farm.
After his mothers death he had not
chosen his associates wisely, but in
spite of scorn and opposition, without
disobedience, she had chung to him and
trusted.
Then came the affair at the village.
One dark night a party of roughs had
broken into Squire Peasley's barn, tied
together the legs of all his hens, nailed
up Whitefoots stall, and then, climb
ing the roof of the ell, had placed
board soaked in salt and water over
the chimney. The old gentleman, who
lived alone, was obliged to travel on a
slippery ground to the nearest neighbor
for help. The villagers were Justly in
dignant, and for furnishing the miscre-
ants, but no clue to them could be
found.
Will was away from home that
night, and suspicion rested on him as
one of the party, until he could bear
it no longer, and decided to go away.
1t seemed but yesterday-their part
ing in the old trysting-place.
viii had slipped the tiny gold band
she wore upon her finger--it seemed
but thread of gold now-asking her
to wear it until he came back.
For" said he, "Tll never come
back till can offer you name and
home. Somehow, the devil has had
possession of me lately, but bad as 1
am, l would scorn to do what they &C
cusc me of-torture feeble old man.
While you believe and trust me, there
are plenty who do not" And with
last Goodbye, my Beth" he was
gone. When the first letter came adj
dressed to Miss Beth Allen in WINS
round, boyish hand, Mr.. Allen frowned
and his wife scolded; but when she
was for stopping the correspondence
at once, he said:
"There, there, mother! let the girl
write to him if she wants to; she won't
do him any harm, and can trust her
for q true Allen not to go far out of
the way"
So the matter had dropped, and for
five years 'Lizabeth's letters were re-
ceived without comment; then they
ceased suddenly and Unexpectedly.
For months Elizabeth watched the
mails with anxious face. Mrs. Allen
shook her head with an II told you he
didn't amount to anything" whenever
there was no one but her husband to
hear, and Mr.. Allen waited in silence.
Time does much toward healing
such wounds, and five years had made
it seem more like an unpleasant dream
than reality; when the news Of Wills
return came, awakening memories Of
other days.
For once Mr.. Allen was weather
wise. The snow had fallen through
the night, covering the earth as with a
the feathery flakes continued
TO come lazily down until just before
twelve o'clock. then there was rift
in the western sky, and when the old
yellow sleigh stood al the door the
sun shone as bright as ever.